GL-PCT A II 3.2 Filing via a competent national authority

The national law of an EPC contracting state may stipulate that, for national security reasons, an international application must be filed with the EPO as receiving Office via a competent authority of that state.[Art. 75(2); 151 EPC; R. 157(1); (3) EPC; R. 19.1(b); ]

In such cases, the national authority will act as the "filing

GL-PCT A II 3.1 Acknowledgement of receipt

For international applications filed online using OLF, CMS or Web-Form Filing, receipt is acknowledged electronically following successful submission. The acknowledgement contains the identity of the receiving Office, the date and time of receipt, a reference or application number, a list of the files transmitted and, for online filings using OLF or CMS, a message digest, i.e.

GL-PCT A II 3 Procedure on filing

3.1 Acknowledgement of receipt

3.2 Filing via a competent national authority

GL-PCT A II 2 Competence of the EPO to act as receiving Office

The EPO is competent to act as the receiving Office for an international application provided that:

– The applicant is a national or resident of an EPC contracting state which is also a PCT contracting state (currently the case for all EPC contracting states). If there are two or more applicants, at least one must be a resident or national of an EPC contracting state. A person mentioned only as an inventor does not qualify as an applicant.

GL-PCT A II 1.5 Application numbering system

At the EPO, the number range starting at 000001 (PCT/EPyyyy/000001) is used for paper filings (including faxes). The number range starting at 025000 (PCT/EPyyyy/025000) is used for filings made via Web-Form Filing. The number range starting at 050000 (PCT/EPyyyy/050000) is assigned to electronic filings made using CMS, OLF or ePCT.[]

GL-PCT A II 1.4 Debit orders for deposit accounts held with the EPO

An international application may be accompanied by a debit order for the fees due on filing. For the electronic means of filing accepted for debit orders, see GL/PCT‑EPO A‑III, 3.

GL-PCT A II 1.3 Filing of documents subsequent to the application

Documents subsequent to the international application may be filed with the EPO as receiving Office on paper or electronically; see GL/PCT‑EPO A‑II, 1.2.[OJ EPO 2018, A45; A46; OJ EPO 2018, A93; A94; OJ EPO 2019, A18; ]

In the international phase, priority documents

GL-PCT A II 1.2.4 Filing of applications by other means

International applications may not be filed with the EPO by email or similar means of communication. Any application filed by such means will be considered not to have been received and the applicant will be informed accordingly using Form PCT/RO/142.[OJ EPO 2019, A18; ]

GL-PCT A II 1.2.3 Filing of applications electronically

An international application may be filed electronically with the EPO as receiving Office.[R. 89bis; OJ EPO 2018, A45; A46; OJ EPO 2018, A25; OJ EPO 2020, A105; ]

The EPO offers the following free-of-charge electronic filing tools:

–

GL-PCT A II 1.2.2 Filing of applications by fax

An international application may be filed by fax with one of the EPO's filing offices in Munich, The Hague or Berlin.